NEW BRITAIN - A free reception, including an opportunity to meet the artist, will open a new exhibition at the Stockman Gallery on Wednesday.

“Paul Gobell: Process” will feature four categories of work done by the city-based artist: fanciful florals, experimental landscapes, expressionistic experiments and drawing.

The focus of the exhibit is intended to be on the process, rather than the finished products.

A common theme in Gobell’s work is what he calls his “incessant need to observe things around me.”

“Painting is like a dance between formal composition and happenstance,” he said.

Gobell is known for his large, surrealistic depictions of flowers in oil paint.

Several years ago, he also received notoriety for his George W. Bush voodoo doll, which allowed viewers to push a pin into the president. That piece was shown by the Art League of New Britain and was part of the members show at the New Britain Museum of American Art.

A native of Simsbury, Gobell came to New Britain as an art student at Central Connecticut State University in 1990. He has since shown his work at the NBMAA, the Art League and Masquerades in New Orleans, as well as giving numerous solo and group exhibitions.

Gobell also teaches art to people with dementia and other psychological disorders.

“The need to circumnavigate mind blocks becomes apparent. Free-form expression with a focus upon shape and color helps with this. These art sessions have had a definite effect on my personal work,” Gobell said.

The exhibition curator and executive director of the Greater New Britain Arts Alliance, Stephen Hard, describes Gobell’s work as an adventure, a process and “as exciting to consider where he is headed as to view where he’s been.”

“The show is intended to be mildly disconcerting and raise questions rather than answer them because, frankly, Paul does not have settled answers for many of these questions,” Hard said.

“Paul Gobell: Process” will have an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Stockman Gallery, 19 Chestnut St., second floor. The works will be on display through March 16.

Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. or by appointment.

For more information, call 860-832-8299 or email the Greater New Britain Arts Alliance at GNBAA@NewBritainArts.org. Gobell can be emailed at at gobellstudio@gmail.com.